ACI Mix Design Example

Publish date: August 13, 2007 | Author: Pavement Interactive

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A concrete mix is to be designed for use in a 250 mm (10 inch) thick JPCP pavement. The
desired properties are:

Slump = 25 mm (1.0 inch)

Average 28-day flexural strength of at least 4.5 MPa (650 psi)

Coarse aggregate: nominal maximum size = 37.5 mm (1.5 inch), dry-rodded weight =
1600 kg/m3 (100 lb/ft3), specific gravity = 2.68, moisture content = 1.0 percent,
absorption = 0.5 percent

Fine aggregate: fineness modulus = 2.80, specific gravity = 2.64, moisture content = 5
percent, absorption = 0.7 percent

Air content: 4.5 6.5 percent

Maximum allowable water-cement ratio = 0.44

Minimum cement content = 335 kg (565 lb)

Density of water = 1000 kg/m3 (62.4 lb/ft3)

Specific gravity of portland cement = 3.15 (typically assumed value)

Slump
Specified as 25 mm (1.0 inch). This is typical for pavement PCC.

Maximum Aggregate Size

Specified as 37.5 mm (1.5 inches). This is well within the general ACI recommendation that the
nominal maximum size be limited to 1/3 of slab depth. No reinforcing steel will be used so the
thumbrule pertaining to clear space between reinforcing bars is not applicable.

Mixing Water and Air Content Estimation

In order to achieve an air content above 2 3 percent, PCC must be air-entrained. Therefore,
using the mixing water and air content estimation table, air-entrained PCC with a target 25 mm
(1 inch) slump and a 37.5 mm (1.5 inch) nominal maximum aggregate size will require about
148 kg/m3 (250 lb/yd3) of mixing water. Enough air-entraining admixture will be added to
achieve a 5.5 percent air content (in the middle of the specified 4.5 6.5 percent band). Keep in
mind that water-reducing admixtures can reduce water requirements by about 5 10 percent and
several will also increase the entrained air content by about 0.5 1 percent.
Converting weight to volume, the recommended volume of mixing water in one cubic meter (one
cubic yard) of PCC is 0.148 m3 (4.00 ft3). The amount of entrained air will be 5.5 percent of the
total volume or 0.055 m3 (1.49 ft3).

Water-Cement Ratio
Since the specified strength is flexural strength, a conversion factor must be used to obtain an
approximate compressive strength in order to use the water-cement ratio vs. compressive
strength table. A good rule-of-thumb (as used in the ACI Code) is:

where:

= compressive strength

Solving for compressive strength, we get about 51.7 MPa (7,500 psi). This value is not listed in
Table 17 for determining water-cement ratios. Therefore, a more involved determination of the
water-cement ratio is needed. Water-cement ratios may also be determined using local
experience. Keep in mind that Table 4 is rarely used in pavement PCC mix design. Additionally,
ACI recommends a maximum water-cement ratio for PCC exposed to freezing and thawing in
moist conditions (such as curbs and gutters) or PCC in the presence of deicing chemicals (such
as PCC pavement slabs) of 0.45. In this instance, assume that local experience dictates a watercement ratio of around 0.39.

Cement Content
Based on the previous mixing water content and water-cement ratio, cement content is calculated
to be:

The recommended volume of portland cement in one cubic meter (one cubic yard) of PCC is:

(Metric)

(English)

Coarse Aggregate Content

Using the coarse aggregate content table with the given nominal maximum aggregate size of
37.5 mm (1.5 inches) and the given fine aggregate fineness modulus of 2.80, the recommended
volume fraction of coarse aggregate is 0.71. This means that the coarse aggregate should occupy
71 percent of the total volume. However, this volume of aggregate includes the volume of air
between the aggregate particles. Therefore, this 71 percent volume must be converted to a
weight of aggregate. Given the 1600 kg/m3 (100 lb/ft3) dry-rodded unit weight, this equates to:

(Metric)

(English)

Now, the recommended volume of coarse aggregate (which is now only the solid volume of
coarse aggregate) in one cubic meter (one cubic yard) of PCC is:

(Metric)

(English)

Fine Aggregate Content

The fine aggregate content can be found by subtracting the other constituent volumes from the
unit volume:

(Metric)
Unit volume (1 m or yd )
1.000 m3
Volume of mixing water
- 0.148 m3
Volume of air
- 0.055 m3
Volume of portland cement - 0.121 m3
Volume of coarse aggregate - 0.424 m3
Volume of fine aggregate
= 0.252 m3
3

(English)
27.00 ft3
- 4.00 ft3
- 1.49 ft3
- 3.26 ft3
- 11.46 ft3
= 6.79 ft3

Therefore, the weight of fine aggregate per unit volume is:

(Metric)

(English)

Adjustments for Aggregate Moisture

Since there is moisture in both the coarse and fine aggregate their trial batch weights must be
adjusted.

(Metric)
(English)
3
Coarse aggregate: 1136 x 1.01 = 1147 kg/m 1917 x 1.01 = 1936 lb/yd3
Fine aggregate: 665 x 1.05 = 698 kg/m3 1119 x 1.05 = 1175 lb/yd3
Also, the amount of mixing water needs to be adjusted because both the coarse and fine
aggregate are wet and will contribute water to the cement paste.

(Metric)
(English)
3
Coarse aggregate: 1136 x (0.01 0.005) = 5.7 kg/m 1917 x (0.01 0.005) = 10 lb/yd3
Fine aggregate: 665 x (0.05 0.007) = 28.6 kg/m3 1119 x (0.05 0.007) = 48 lb/yd3
Therefore, the amount of mixing water to be added is:
148 kg 5.7 kg 28.6 kg = 113.7 kg
250 lb 10 lb 48 lb = 192 lb

Summary
The final trial batch amounts per unit volume (1 m3 or yd3) are:

(Metric) English)
Mixing water
114 kg 192 lb
Portland cement
380 kg 641 lb
Coarse aggregate 1147 kg 1936 lb
Fine aggregate
698 kg 1175 lb
Usually, to make trial batches, something less than the unit volume is made a typical trial batch
size is 0.03 m3 (1 ft3). Once the trial batch is made it can be tested for slump, air content,
flexural strength, compressive strength and any other required property.